September 29th, 2009 Bob
You are invited to participate in a great creative challenge. The
2009-2010, Oklahoma Annual Student Inventors Exposition will take place on
Tuesday, February 23, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Rose State
Community Center on the Rose State College Campus in Midwest City,
Oklahoma.
Set-up time begins at 8:00 a.m. and judging starts at 9:00 a.m. Lunchtime
is from 11:30a.m.12:30pm. The Awards Assembly will begin at
approximately 12:45 p.m. and will end at 1:30 p.m. Prizes and money
awards will be presented to both winning students and their teachers. All
inventors receive ribbons and certificates.
Hurry! We are waiting to hear from you. Please mail, fax or email the
form below to me at any of the above addresses. After receiving the form,
I will send you the official Registration Form and additional information
if needed.
Yes, my student will participate in the 21st Annual Oklahoma Student
Invention Exposition on February 23, 2010.
Teacher School
City Phone
Fax Email
Betty J.C. Wright Chairperson; Oklahoma Student Inventors Exposition
The 2009-2010, Oklahoma Student Inventors Exposition will take place on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Rose State Community Center on the Rose State College Campus in Midwest City, Oklahoma.
Set-up time begins at 8:00 a.m. and judging starts at 9:00 a.m. Lunchtime is from 11:30a.m.12:30pm. The Awards Assembly will begin at approximately 12:45 p.m. and will end at 1:30 p.m. Prizes and cash awards will be presented to both winning students and their teachers. All inventors receive ribbons and certificates.
Please email Betty J.C. Wright Chairperson; Oklahoma Student Inventors Exposition to receive the official Registration Form and additional information.
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September 25th, 2009 Bob
From Oklahoma State Department of Education Science Director Jana Rowland, it’s this month’s JANAGRAM!
New Storybooks from the Space Place
Sometimes there’s just nothing as cozy as curling up with a good storybook.
Whether you prefer turning real pages or virtual pages, you will enjoy the five spacey storybooks on The Space Place. Joining our classic stories in verse “Professor Starr’s Dream Trip” and “Lucy’s Planet Hunt” are the new stories “What¹s in Space,” “Supercool Space Tools”, and “The First Annual Planet Awards”. All are available as richly illustrated online books with interactive page turning or viewable and printable Adobe Reader files. So settle down with a good and fun book at: <http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/storybooks>.
Physics fun
Explore physics the exciting way, by trying out simple experiments with the Marvin and Milo characters at < http://www.physics.org/interact-wide-template.asp?hsub=1>. The Physics web site also has short video clips at http://www.physics.org/interact.asp and interesting Physics facts at <http://www.physics.org/facts/>.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Video Game
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is launching a new online video game aimed to encourage kids to go outside and learn about the environment. Designed for children ages 8 to 11 years old, Neighborhood Explorers is accessed through the Service’s Let’s Go Outside! website at <http://www.fws.gov/letsgooutside/ > .
The journey through the game begins when you meet three children – Mia, Lucy and Steve. They form a Neighborhood Explorers Club, called the NX Club, and share information about planting gardens with native plants, backyard bird watching and urban wildlife. By exploring the tree house, you can learn about endangered species, conservation heroes and threats to our natural world. Other activities include recording nature sightings in your own back yard, a race against time to find a missing praying mantis in the midst of an urban neighborhood, and identifying birds in a variety of habitats. When you finish a game, you can receive a gold, silver, or bronze patch, depending on how many points you score. You can also receive patches for documenting environmental projects and local wildlife.
The Bridge – Ocean Science Education Teacher Resource Center – This is a site where teachers will find a selection of the best online resources for ocean sciences education. The goal of the site is to provide educator with content-correct and content-current marine information and data; to support researchers in outreach efforts; and to improve communications among educators and between the education and research communities. See <www.vims.edu/bridge>.
Biology/Life Science lessons on the Bridge web site
There are some interesting lesson plans available on this site. Ocean science topic links are viewed by subject. The lesson plans link has data/graphing activities available that would be useful in the Biology classroom. The Coral Snapshots: Biodiversity in Marine Protected Areas activity involves students in analyzing ocean floor photographs, recording data from random points shown, and then drawing conclusions from the data. The activity can be found at <http://www2.vims.edu/bridge/DATA.cfm?Bridge_Location=archive1109.html>.
All of these data activities are at <http://www2.vims.edu/bridge/search/bioarchives.cfm>
Ocean Video Clips
Check out the Ocean Explorer YouTube videos. These are short video clips that can be used to grab students’ attention or for writing prompts.
Available at <http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/rss/youtube_playlist.html>.
Earth Science Week
Now is the time to make plans for Earth Science Week, held Oct. 11-17, 2009. The 12th annual Earth Science Week will celebrate the theme “Understanding Climate” with a wide range of exciting activities, programs, and resources designed to help young people understand the large-scale weather patterns that make up climate.
Dig up fossil evidence of past life, record observations of cloud patterns, or visit science centers and parks. Conduct activities described on the Earth Science Week website at <http://www.earthsciweek.org/forteachers/index.html>.
For more ideas, see recommendations at
<http://www.earthsciweek.org/forplanners/index.html>.
To learn more or to order an Earth Science Week 2009 Toolkit, visit the event website at <http://www.earthsciweek.org>.
Real-time Water Data from USGS
This is an interesting site to view real-time information on water flow across the US. Click Oklahoma on the US map and then click a station in your area to see graphs displayed for amount of water flow. Link is <http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/rt >.
EPA Climate Change Toolkit for Middle School
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released a new free collection of resources to enhance middle school students’ understanding of climate change impacts on the United States’ wildlife and ecosystems.
“Climate Change, Wildlife, and Wildlands Toolkit for Formal and Informal Educators” contains case studies and activities based on climate science, environmental education, and stewardship information. The toolkit is available online at <http://www.globalchange.gov/resources/educators/toolkit>.
IEEE LAUNCHES NANOTECHNOLOGY SITE WITH EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
To explain the ins and outs of the technology, IEEE, has launched TryNano.org, <http://www.trynano.org/ >, a web site developed in conjunction with IBM and the New York Hall of Science. The site provides an overview of nanotechnology and also provides information about applications and nanomaterials.
Featured lessons are: Exploring at the Nanoscale (8-14), What is a Nanometer? (8-11), Sugar Crystal Challenge (8-14), and Nano Waterproofing (8-18).
DISNEY’S PLANET CHALLENGE
Disney today announced the nationwide launch of Disney’s Planet Challenge, a project-based environmental competition for 4th – 6th grade classrooms that will empower students to make a difference in school, at home and in their local communities Participation in the program is free, and enrollment is open today at <www.disney.com/planetchallenge>.
For the project, students are asked to identify an environmental issue in their local community and come up with a solution that they manage and document from start to finish. Past examples range from implementing campus-wide water conservation programs and electronics recycling drives to protecting local habitats. Classrooms will develop a portfolio that will be evaluated on environmental-relevance, student learning, changes in practices and attitudes, community involvement, lasting benefits to students, school and/or community and originality.
The Disney’s Planet Challenge web site provides tailored lesson plans customized to reflect the curriculum standards of each state for each grade level (grades 4-6). Teachers can easily find and download relevant lessons to help them link their class project to their state standards. National, regional and state winners will receive an array of Disney prizes including a class celebration at Disneyland® for the national grand prize champion. The winning class will also have a chance to meet a Disney Channel star and the class and its winning project may be featured on the Disney Channel. Other prizes include thousands of dollars in classroom grants, class screenings of the next Disney nature film, Oceans, and more. Additionally, winning teachers will receive a one year NSTA membership. The grand-prize winning educator will also receive an expense paid trip to the national 2011 NSTA conference where he or she will be recognized at the NSTA awards banquet. For more information, visit <www.Disney.com/planetchallenge>.
NASA Education Invites Students to Drop Everything!
NASA’s Dropping In a Microgravity Environment, or DIME, allows students in high school and in middle school to design and build an experiment that will be operated in a NASA research drop tower. This will put the students’ experiment in microgravity, just as if it were in space.
New for school year 2009-10 will be a two-part DIME with separate competitions for high school teams and teams of students in grades 6-9.
Four teams in the high school DIME competition will be invited to visit NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and operate their experiment in the drop tower. Four additional teams will send their experiment to Glenn for the drop tower staff to operate it. Teams comprised of students in grades 6-9 will compete for the opportunity to build an experiment to be operated in the same drop tower by NASA drop tower staff.
Proposals are due on Nov. 2, 2009. Competition selections will be announced in mid-December and drop tower operations will be conducted in April 2010.
For more information about this opportunity, visit
<http://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/DIME.html> .
The Experiment of the Week – Robert Krampf’s Science Education
In addition to presenting his science shows, educator Robert Krampf also shows people that science can be fun and understandable. Part of that effort is his Free Experiment of the Week list. If you join the Experiment of the Week List, each week you will get a new experiment that you can try yourself. (This is a not a U.S. Government website. NOAA is not responsible for the content of external internet sites).
See <www.krampf.com/news.htm> .
NASA Mission to Mercury – On Sept 29
Classes Across America Can Participate Live
On September 29, NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft will fly by the planet Mercury at 5:55 pm EDT. It is a historic mission to the last of the eight planets in the solar system that has not been fully seen. MESSENGER is changing that. The event, and the 2 days of analysis of the science data following the event, will be covered LIVE from MISSION CONTROL and the Science Operation Center by 7 MESSENGER Fellows (some of the best science educators in the nation) on Twitter and Facebook. We’ll be working hand-in-hand with mission scientists. We’ll be tweeting and facebooking over the three days, starting Sept 29, answering questions from classes across America, and engaging them in live conversations about the excitement and the experiences of the researchers as the data streams back to Earth. BE PART OF THE ADVENTURE!!!! We have set up a special Blog on the Universe (BotU) post that provides
a one-stop-shop to all the official web sites; and background info on the event for your CLASS, your SCHOOL, and your DISTRICT to ACTIVELY participate. It’s an opportunity for your students to get a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at REAL science and engineering in this moment of history. At the post: an overview of the opportunity; the educational goals; the schedule of events; bios and links to twitter/facebook for all us “Voices of Mission Control”; how to connect and participate (it’s easy!); and MOST importantly, ideas for lessons leading up to and after the Mercury flyby, and full details of the specific questions that scientists are going to be asking through the eyes (the instruments) of the MESSENGER spacecraft.
For two days following the flyby, we’ll be reporting live on what the scientists are finding in the data pouring back to Earth through NASA’s Deep Space Network. And we INVITE you to jump into the conversation through the magic of Web 2.0! Students can get invested in the questions being posed by the scientists BEFORE the spacecraft arrives, and get involved in the live conversation regarding what the scientists are finding in the preliminary data in the 2 days FOLLOWING the flyby.
The link to the Special Post at BotU: http://bit.ly/3kDn7b
Engineering in Fashion
Most people don’t think “engineering” when they think about clothing, runway shows, hair products and cosmetics. However, they should.
Engineers are involved in all types of apparel design. From space suits for NASA, to protective clothing for fire fighters, to bulletproof vests for law enforcement, to athletic apparel that wicks away the sweat of marathon runners, to scuba suits and shoes – engineers are involved in assessing the performance needs of the clothing, and deciding on and/or developing the materials needed to improve the item’s performance. More information at <http://www.engineeringedu.com/celestes_blog/2009/09/fashion.html >.
Energize your classroom with winning curriculum!
Elementary, middle and high school teachers across the United States competed for thousands of dollars of classroom materials in the Engineering Education Service Center’s first Engineering Curriculum Contest. The winners were selected from over 20 entries and best reflected high levels of creativity, innovation and student engagement.
From Spider Silk to Tsunamis to Mini-Skateboards and Water Purification, this year’s entries were outstanding examples of hands-on activities that help students learn and retain more math and science concepts
Winning curriculum is available as a free download on the Engineering Education Service Center’s website. The Engineering Education Service Center’s 2009 Curriculum Contest was sponsored solely by the Engineering Education Service Center in an effort to reward teachers that are tackling this challenge.
See <http://www.engineeringedu.com/contestcurr.html>.
PBS Series, Sid the Science Kid
Produced by The Jim Henson Company in partnership with KCET, this PBS Kids series encourages preschoolers to explore the foundations of science in everyday occurrences, such as melting popsicles and sneezing. In the series’ sketch-comedy format, Sid, an inquisitive youngster, tackles the everyday ideas that preschoolers find fascinating (Why do bananas go “bad”? Why do my shoes seem to shrink? How does a bird fly without a plane?).Check out the series website at <pbskids.org/sid> for video clips, printables, information for parents and teachers, and science activities, along with a new online game, focusing on weather and learning.
Grants
National Gardening Association: Youth Garden Grants
The National Gardening Association (NGA), with support from The Home Depot, will award Youth Garden Grants to 100 schools and community organizations throughout the U.S. with child-centered garden programs. Priority given to programs that emphasize one or more of these elements: educational focus or curricular/program integration; nutrition or plant-to-food connections; environmental awareness/education; entrepreneurship; and social aspects of gardening such as leadership development, team building, community support, or service-learning. Applicant schools and organizations must plan to garden with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18. Five programs will receive gift cards valued at $1,000 (a $500 gift card to The Home Depot and a $500 gift card to the Gardening with Kids catalog); 95 programs will receive a $500 gift card to The Home Depot. All winners will receive educational materials from NGA. The application deadline is November 2, 2009. Application guidelines and forms are available on the NGA website. See http://www.kidsgardening.com/YGG.asp
Environmental Education Grant Opportunities
To encourage teachers and youth leaders to develop effective environmental education programs, environmental projects and/ or strategies, the Environmental Quality Education Committee, working with the Department of Environmental Quality, offers grants each fall. A total of $20,000 is available this year from funding received from the sales of the environmental license tags. You must be an Oklahoma teacher, public or private (Pre K – 12), school environmental club, youth group leader, and/or organization with a youth component to apply for the grant. Proposals must be submitted (postmarked and e-mailed) by December 1, 2009.
Visit http://www.deq.state.ok.us/pubs/lpd/eegrant09.pdf
Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant
Lowe’s will donate $5 million to public schools and public school parent teacher groups – at more than 1,000 different public schools per school year. It’s almost that easy when you take advantage of Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant program. Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF) knows how hard you work for your kids and your community and we’re dedicated to helping your parent-teacher group achieve even more for your school. Apply for our Toolbox for Education Grant now and build on your already impressive parent group success with Lowe’s.
See <http://www.toolboxforeducation.com/faq.html>
Toshiba 7-12 Math and Science Grants
The mission of Toshiba America Foundation is to promote quality science and mathematics education in U.S. schools. Grants are made for programs and activities that improve teaching and learning in science and mathematics, grades K-12. The Foundation focuses its grant making on inquiry-based projects designed by individual teachers, and small teams of teachers, for use in their own classrooms. Average award amounts are between $9,000 – $17,000.
Proposal Deadline: 10/1/09. More information is available at http://www.taf.toshiba.com
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September 23rd, 2009 Bob
ScienceFest is designed to foster scientific literacy while educating children about protecting the environment, conserving natural resources, and using alternative fuels and technologies. Educators plan a day packed with exciting exhibits, presentations, and hands-on demonstrations all developed to show the importance of scientific applications in the environment.
ScienceFest is designed to promote scientific diversity. The hands-on activity stations use basic geology, biology, physical science, health and environmental sciences to teach the children how science impacts everyday life. Examples of alternative fueled vehicles are also on location for the students to view. The event provides opportunity for the students to be exposed to science in a fun and different setting.
One teacher stated, “ Our students very much enjoyed the day, and experienced and learned much more about our environment than they would have in the classroom.”
“All of the booths were very informative and run by friendly and professional people,” reported a ScienceFest attendee.
The bonus for teachers – ScienceFest meets your educational curriculum goals and IT’S FREE.
4th and 5th grade students statewide are invited to participate in this annual event. Visit the Archives button to the left for a sample of the event from previous years.
ScienceFest is a positive contribution to the environmental education of Oklahoma’s students. By exposing them to the arena of science, we not only enhance their awareness of science and possibly stimulate some to pursue careers in science, we also help them be better citizens and stewards of the environment.
This event is held at the Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden, April 22, 2010. There is no fee to participate in ScienceFest, but registration in advance is required as space is limited. Registration opens November 2nd!
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September 23rd, 2009 Bob
Here are your science education resources and announcements for September 2009 provided by the Science Matters Network.
Table of Contents
a.. The Federal Role in Out-of-School Learning
b.. The Economy’s Impact on Parent Involvement
c.. Family Feedback Aids Instruction
d.. Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge
e.. PBS Series, Sid the Science Kid
f.. Helpful Tools, Tips, and Projects to Pass on to Parents
a.. A Sightseer’s Guide to Engineering
b.. Green Hour Website for Getting Kids Outdoors
g.. What Is Science Matters?
The Federal Role in Out-of-School Learning: After-School, Summer Learning, and Family Involvement as Critical Learning Supports
The Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) released a report that reviews the research on out-of-school learning and its implication for federal education policy. Their framework of complementary learning links school and out-of-school support so they complement and reinforce a child’s development and education. Commissioned by the Center for Education Policy (CEP) as part of a series of 11 papers on “Rethinking the Federal Role in Elementary and Secondary Education,” the report was presented at a forum on Capitol Hill.
The Economy’s Impact on Parent Involvement
A new poll of K–12 parents shows that the recession may have a silver lining for schools. 64 percent of parents believe that because of the recession, it is more important to volunteer at school. It is estimated that schools will see a 20 percent increase in parent involvement over the previous year.
Family Feedback Aids Instruction
A two-page research brief (PDF) from the University of California’s Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence describes the results of an examination of the importance of parent-child conversations in assessing what children are learning at school and adjusting classroom instruction accordingly.
Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge
The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge is now accepting entries for the 2009–2010 competition. The second year of this national sustainability challenge—now expanded to include elementary school students—encourages students in kindergarten through eighth grade to team up with their classmates to create replicable solutions to environmental issues in their classroom (grades K–2), school (grades 3–5) and community (grades 6–8). Student and teacher/mentor prizes, which vary according to grade level, include savings bonds, school grants, exciting trips, TV appearances and much more.
The deadline for elementary level entries is January 31, 2010 (finalists and winners to be announced March 10, 2010); and the deadline for middle school entries is March 15, 2010 (state winners to be announced April 26, 2010, and national winners to be announced May 10, 2010). For more information about the Challenge or to register for the competition, visit www.wecanchange.com.
PBS Series, Sid the Science Kid
Produced by The Jim Henson Company in partnership with KCET, this PBS Kids series encourages preschoolers to explore the foundations of science in everyday occurrences, such as melting popsicles and sneezing. In the series’ sketch-comedy format, Sid, an inquisitive youngster, tackles the everyday ideas that preschoolers find fascinating (Why do bananas go “bad”? Why do my shoes seem to shrink? How does a bird fly without a plane?).Check out the series website at pbskids.org/sid for video clips, printables, information for parents and teachers, and science activities, along with a new online game, focusing on weather and learning.
Helpful Tools, Tips, and Projects to Pass on to Parents
A Sightseer’s Guide to Engineering
Many sights around the country can help children and families learn about engineering. Places such as Hoover Dam, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Thomas Edison’s Birthplace, Museums of Ceramics or Aeronautics, roller coasters and other sights can be both educational and fun. For sights in your area or to help you plan a road trip, visit A Sightseer’s Guide to Engineering, created by the National Society of Professional Engineers.
Green Hour Website for Getting Kids Outdoors
To give parents and caregivers the information, tools and inspiration to get their kids outside, the National Wildlife Federation has created www.greenhour.org, a website rich in family-friendly content and a supportive virtual community where families can learn, explore and share their outdoor experiences and backyard adventures. The site’s blog also has a section for educators and a locator for local, state and national parks.
What Is Science Matters?
Science Matters is an initiative by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) to bring content, news, and information that supports quality science education to parents and teachers nationwide.
Science Matters builds on the success of the Building a Presence for Science program, first launched in 1997 as an e-networking initiative to assist teachers of science with professional development opportunities. Building a Presence for Science—now Science Matters—reaches readers in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Why does Science Matter? Science is critical to understanding the world around us. Most Americans feel that they received a good education and that their children will as well. Unfortunately, not many are aware that international tests show that American students are simply not performing well in science when compared to students in other countries. Many students (and their parents!) believe that science is irrelevant to their lives.
Innovation leads to new products and processes that sustain our economy, and this innovation depends on a solid knowledge base in science, math, and engineering. All jobs of the future will require a basic understanding of math and science. The most recent ten year employment projections by the U.S. Labor Department show that of the 20 fastest growing occupations projected for 2014, 15 of them require significant mathematics or science preparation to successfully compete for a job
This is why Science Matters. Quality learning experiences in the sciences—starting at an early age—are critical to science literacy and our future workforce. Feel free to publish this information in school newsletters and bulletins, and share it with other parents, teachers, and administrators.
Visit the Science Matters website.
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September 22nd, 2009 Bob
The National Science Teachers Association is a partner in the National Gallery of Writing, an online exhibition of writing hosted by the National Council of Teachers of English, which is seeking writing samples.
NSTA’s Gallery http://galleryofwriting.org/galleries/national_science_teachers_association_gallery has the following theme: Why Earth? What makes our planet the ideal cradle of life?
Science teachers and students are encouraged to submit one piece of writing that is important to them (be it a letter, digital composition, video, or other format.) It just takes a few minutes to upload your submission, and more information is available at the gallery. The pieces will be unveiled on October 20, 2009 as part of The National Day on Writing, a nationwide initiative that highlights the variety and importance of writing in the everyday lives of Americans.
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September 22nd, 2009 Bob
Save the Date! ”Recycling Through a Recession” will be held on Tuesday, December 8 at the OSU Alumni Center in Stillwater. This full day seminar, hosted by the Oklahoma Recycling Association, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, is designed for city and county government officials, recycling professionals, community leaders, educators, students and concerned citizens interested in the business of recycling and expanding local programs. More information and exhibitor opportunities will be posted soon at www.recycleok.org
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September 21st, 2009 Bob
On September 29, NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft will fly by the planet Mercury at 5:55 pm EDT. It is a historic mission to the last of the eight planets in the solar system that has not been fully seen.
MESSENGER is changing that. The event, and the 2 days of analysis of the science data following the event, will be covered LIVE from MISSION CONTROL and the Science Operation Center by 7 MESSENGER Fellows (some of the best science educators in the nation) on Twitter and Facebook. We’ll be working hand-in-hand with mission scientists. We’ll be tweeting and facebooking over the three days, starting Sept 29, answering questions from classes across America, and engaging them in live conversations about the excitement and the experiences of the researchers as the data streams back to Earth. BE PART OF THE ADVENTURE!!!!
We have set up a special Blog on the Universe (BotU) post that provides a one-stop-shop to all the official web sites; and background info on the event for your CLASS, your SCHOOL, and your DISTRICT to ACTIVELY participate. It’s an opportunity for your students to get a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at REAL science and engineering in this moment of history.
At the post: an overview of the opportunity; the educational goals; the schedule of events; bios and links to twitter/facebook for all us “Voices of Mission Control”; how to connect and participate (it’s easy!); and MOST importantly, ideas for lessons leading up to and after the Mercury flyby, and full details of the specific questions that scientists are going to be asking through the eyes (the instruments) of the MESSENGER spacecraft.
For two days following the flyby, we’ll be reporting live on what the scientists are finding in the data pouring back to Earth through NASA’s Deep Space Network. And we INVITE you to jump into the conversation through the magic of Web 2.0! Students can get invested in the questions being posed by the scientists BEFORE the spacecraft arrives, and get involved in the live conversation regarding what the scientists are finding in the preliminary data in the 2 days FOLLOWING the flyby. We’re inviting your students to slip on the shoes of a scientist that is eagerly waiting for MESSENGER – a robotic emissary of the human race – to arrive at another world. Pretty cool!
The link to the Special Post at BotU: http://bit.ly/3kDn7b
Please spread the word and the link to the Blog Post to colleagues. We think it’s a wonderful opportunity to help inspire our next generation of scientists and engineers.
Best wishes!
Jeff Goldstein, Ph.D.
MESSENGER Educator Fellowship Program Director
Center Director
National Center for Earth and Space Science Education
Harri Vanhala, Ph.D.
MESSENGER Educator Fellowship Program Manager
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September 17th, 2009 Bob
As part of a University of Oklahoma campus-wide celebration of the 150th anniversary of the publishing of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, the Sam Noble Museum in Norman will be offering an evening of free museum admission from 6 to 11 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29. The museum also will feature a free public lecture by the museum’s curator of invertebrate paleontology, Stephen Westrop, titled “The Cambrian Explosion and the Burgess Shale: No Dilemma for Darwin.”
The Cambrian Explosion was one of the most important episodes in the history of life. Over some 20 to 25 million years, beginning about 543 million years ago, life in the oceans diversified. Today, we find abundant fossils of hard-shelled animals of this age in many parts of the world. The famous Burgess Shale of western Canada formed after the Cambrian Explosion but its unusually preserved fossils give paleontologists a glimpse of a nearly complete Cambrian community. These extraordinary fossils also show the wide range of animals that must have evolved earlier in the Cambrian Period. In this presentation, Westrop takes a look at recent research that gives us a new understanding of this evolutionary “explosion” of ocean life.
The museum’s Paleozoic Gallery showcases the science behind this amazing diversity of life from Earth’s Cambrian Period. Highlights include fossils, models of many of the bizarre animals of the Burgess Shale, and animated features showing how these animals may have moved and hunted.
“We invite everyone interested in an accurate description of how life developed over the last four billion years to come hear Dr. Westrop’s lecture and visit our galleries,” said museum Director Michael A.
Mares. ”These well-organized and scientifically accurate exhibits illustrate – through real specimens and scientific methods – the fact of evolution by natural selection as first described by Charles Darwin and continually supported by all branches of science ever since that time. Dr. Westrop is recognized internationally as an expert on the Cambrian Period, and his presentation will provide insight into the latest scientific research regarding the impact of this time period on the evolution of life on Earth. “
Steve Westrop has been the curator of invertebrate paleontology at the museum since 1998. His research focuses on the Cambrian System and its fossils, particularly trilobites. He was a member of an international team of geologists and paleontologists who established the current radiometric dating of the Cambrian Period, including the record of the Cambrian explosion. Westrop has published more than 50 papers in scientific journals on various aspects of the Cambrian, and serves as editor of the Journal of Paleontology, published by the Paleontological Society.
Since the beginning of 2009, the museum, in partnership with OU departments of Zoology, Botany and Microbiology, Anthropology, History of Science and the History of Science Collections of the OU Library, has presented more than 15 public education programs related to evolution. Many of these are currently available to download as podcasts through iTunes. Additional information about museum podcasts and newsfeeds is available online at www.snomnh.ou.edu/rss.
Many more Darwin programs are scheduled for the months ahead, including a seminar series called “In Discussion with Darwin,” a lecture series, a family day featuring children’s book authors Carolyn Meyer and Anne Weaver, and “Darwin Remembers,” a one-man theatre performance. Mares encourages the public to take part in these programs, many of which are free, to educate themselves about the true nature of the science of evolutionary biology.
On October 10 the museum will open “Darwin at the Museum,” a special exhibition featuring a complete set of the first editions of Darwin’s books, provided by the OU Libraries History of Science Collections. This exhibition, which will include specimens from museum collections, will be on view through Jan. 18, 2010.
Additional information about programming at the museum is available online at www.snomnh.ou.edu/publicprograms. The museum is located on the OU Norman campus at Timberdell Road and Chautauqua Avenue. For more information, call (405) 325-4712.
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September 17th, 2009 Bob
The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) invites you to participate in the 5th Annual DNA Day Essay Contest! It is only open to 9th 12th grade students this year.
Submission Deadline: March 15, 2010 at 5:00 PM EST
Please visit http://www.ashg.org/education/dnaday.shtml for details.
2010 Essay questions:
Option 1 Scientists can now determine the complete DNA sequences of organisms, including humans. Now that this milestone has been reached, is there a reason to continue learning about Mendel, alleles, and inheritance patterns? Explain your answer.
Option 2 Genetic testing allows geneticists to determine an individuals DNA sequence, and research has identified a number of genes, such as HMGA2 and GDF5, that are associated with height. Will such associations allow scientists and physicians to predict a persons final adult height from infancy? Explain your answer.
A 1st, 2nd, 3rd place will be chosen for each question. Winning students will receive:
1st Place Winners: $400.00 + Teacher receive a $2,000 grant for laboratory genetics equipment
2nd Place Winners: $250.00
3rd Place Winners: $150.00
Please expect an email in January 2010 when the submission site is live. Questions? Please email Angie Wong).
Posted in Opportunities | No Comments »
September 16th, 2009 Bob
“Evolution in Extreme Environments” Symposium to be Webcast Live
> from NABT Conference in Denver
>
> Are you interested in evolution, but unable to attend this year’s
> National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) conference in
> Denver? Would you and your students like to learn more about how
> life evolves, adapts and flourishes in some of the most extreme
> environments on Earth, such as high altitude, in the deep-sea, or in
> caves? If so, you will be excited to learn that for the first time,
> the annual NABT Evolution Symposium will be accessible via live
> webcast on Friday, Nov. 13th from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, MST.
> Teachers and students are encouraged to tune in to all or part of
> the webcast for an opportunity to hear internationally renowned
> researchers discuss their fascinating, cutting-edge work in
> “extreme” evolutionary biology. Classrooms all over the world will
> even be able to submit their questions online and have the speakers
> respond in real time!
>
> For more information, including speaker names, talk titles and
> times, and the link to view the live webcast, please see http://www.nescent.org/NABT09Webcast.php
> or contact eog@nescent.org.
>
Are you interested in evolution, but unable to attend this year’s National Association of Biology Teachers(NABT) conference in Denver? Would you and your students like to learn more about how life evolves, adapts and flourishes in some of the most extreme environments on Earth, such as high altitude, in the deep-sea, or in caves? If so, you will be excited to learn that for the first time, the annual NABT Evolution Symposium will be accessible via live webcast on Friday, Nov. 13th from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, MST.
Teachers and students are encouraged to tune in to all or part of the webcast for an opportunity to hear internationally renowned researchers discuss their fascinating, cutting-edge work in ”extreme” evolutionary biology. Classrooms all over the world will even be able to submit their questions online and have the speakers respond in real time!
For more information, including speaker names, talk titles and times, and the link to view the live webcast, please see http://www.nescent.org/NABT09Webcast.php or contact the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) at eog@nescent.org.
Posted in Conference, Events, Opportunities | No Comments »
